Influenced by edgy bars around the world in cities such as London and Hong Kong this versatile venue has been designed to appeal to people looking for a different kind of place to relax and revel.

Located underneath Crowne Plaza Hotel Terrigal, the brief for Lilikoi Bar and Lounge was to convert a dark 80’s nightclub into a relaxed, sophisticated bar lounge for use in the day and at night.

The new interior had to remain relevant to its beach side location and the broader premium market. With a six week turnaround deadline on the cards and ample furniture available for reuse, Lister+Co took to this challenge with gusto.

Given the 80’s design of the interior envelope which would remain, Lister+Co went with a retro kitsch colour palette of mandarin, shiraz, lavender and gold combined with expansive use of white, chrome, pattern and stripe to give the space the punch it was asking for. Rattan and bamboo floor matts were used to layer the existing timber flooring and link the indoor bar and lounge to its beach side location.

Floor planning was key in this conversion and a raised area surrounding 50% of the room provided the perfect opportunity to create a series of intimate chill out area’s screened off from each other with three metre drops of string curtain.

Hotel lamps were revitalised with a quick coat of paint and Florence Broadhurst ‘Japanese Bamboo’ paper shades were added to provide low lighting to compliment the settings.  Here, custom banquettes feature in high sheen lavender and cantilever wine

tables slide up to generous ottoman seating to provide a relaxed, elevated chill out lounge experience. The string curtaining provides the added flexibility of being dropped for intimacy or tied back to accommodate larger groups.

A large dance floor was converted to a high top dining area, with the flexibility to convert back to dancing when the beat of the DJ beckons.

Music and animation are a feature of the bar with fly projectors fixed to the ceiling projecting cartoon animations onto the blank canvas of walls and live DJ’s playing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights to a mix of funk, Latin and mainstream urban rhythms.

The hero of the fit out is the Passion Flower vinyl wallpaper sourced and customised from Six Hands. It formed the contrast for the pendant lighting, was taken down to the floor in fabric form to feature on ottomans and converted a dark tunnel entry into a pleasing whimsy providing an up lifting vestibule for guests to refresh before entering or to catch their breath before returning to the outside. Ultimately it inspired the name of the bar – ‘Lilikoi’ – Polynesian for ‘passion flower’.

Down at bar level, centre stage are large buttoned day bed ottomans and striped recycled chairs which pull up to larger tiled coffee tables designed for snack and share dining.

A tailored menu inspired by the retro kitsch genre and cocktails in brandy balloons complete the AbFab experience on offer.